The ‘D’ Class

WHY THE ‘D’ CLASS

  • We were inspired by the children’s programme ‘Blue Peter’ (and its young viewers) which for 50 years (until 2017) funded 28 ‘D’ Class Lifeboats at 7 lifeboat stations: Littlehampton, Beaumaris, St. Agnes, North Berwick, Portaferry, Cleethorpes and Fishguard.
  • The ‘D’ Class is involved in more than 60% of all rescues.
  • It maybe small but it can sustain 3 hours at sea travelling at 25 knots – crucial when lives are at risk.
  • It can reach into ‘the inaccessible’ waters that the ‘All Weather Lifeboats’ can’t.
  • As well as shallow inshore waters it can cope with fair to moderate conditions and big surf.
  • Its size enables versatile launching methods; by tractor trailer or davit.
Damien Bolton
Damien Bolton

In the words of the gallantry awarded helm at Port Isaac, Damien Bolton “…the ‘D’ Class is the workhorse of  the RNLI fleet… a pocket rocket!”

 

Photos of some of the stations supported by Blue Peter, taken during last year’s RNLI-911 Challenge.